Open up Your Eyes
by ark030288
Summary: Based on the song by Daughtry. Major character deaths.


**Disclaimer: I own NCIS in no way nor do I own any part of the song Open up Your Eyes by Daughtry. **

**This is a story based off that song. The lyrics are in italics, some are in with the narraration but most is offset by itself. I hope you enjoy this. Please let me know. Reviews are appreciated because they help me grow as a writer. Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy. **

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She walks through the empty cemetery, her body on autopilot. Unfortunately she knew all too well exactly where she was going. Her strides were short and her pace was slow. She pulled her heavy winter coat around her tighter. A move she has noticed she did frequently on this walk. When she could see the stone in front of her she stopped, took a deep breath and slowly knelt down at the stone.

"Well, it has been one year, everybody said this would get easier with time." she paused taking a deep breath to fight off the tears. "I just do not see how this pain can go away. I still love you, everyday." she sits silently at the grave before she finally drifts off to sleep. The cold December air making her numb. The numbness was a welcome feeling compared to the pain.

"Ziva" Gibbs said breathlessly running quickly over to her grabbing her in his arms, up off the cold ground. He picked her up without any protest. As she slowly became aware again the rose she had tucked in her jacket fell to the ground as Gibbs turned to carry her to the car. She looked back at the grave _a single rose left to remember._

"Goodbye my love" she whispers _as a single tear falls from her eye._

_Another cold day in December, year from the day she said goodbye. _

Gibbs laid Ziva in the car giving her a blanket and turning up the heat. He walks to the driver side door, pausing before getting in "DiNozzo…"

_Seems like it's only been a moment, since the angels took him from her arms._

Ziva fell back asleep once the warmth of the car surrounded her. Her mind quickly wandered back to that day.

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"Bye Zi" Tony said rushing through the house giving her a quick kiss before running out the door. "Love you!" he yelled just before the door slammed shut.

"Love you too" she whispered back.

Tony had been in a hurry that morning to get to work, he had some stuff he wanted to get done before everyone else showed up. It was just easier for him to work with no one else there.

Ziva went about her normal routine, she arrived at NCIS at her normal time. Finding it odd that she did not see Tony's car in the parking lot. She continued her walk up to the bullpen. She froze when the elevator doors opened and she spotted Abby curled up on McGee crying. Gibbs was sitting in his chair, a blank stare on his face. She slowly stepped off the elevator, walking over to her friends.

"What is going on?" she asked hesitantly

"Ziva" Abby said weeping again into McGee.

"Ziva, come here and sit down." Gibbs said standing up, pulling his chair out for her.

"I am fine right here…now what is going on?" Ziva said standing firmly, the worry in her causing her voice to raise. When she received no response she took a step backwards, tears threatening to fall "where is Tony?" she asked this time yelling, the entire office stopping to see what was going on.

"Ziva" Gibbs said walking towards her

"No…where is he? Why is Abby crying? What is going on and where the hell is Tony?" she asked breathlessly as she started to fall, Gibbs grabbing her before she hit the ground.

"Where is he?" Ziva asked unable to keep the tears from falling. The rest of the office uncomfortable with seeing her break down like this went back to their work.

"Ziva, I am so sorry" Gibbs said pulling her close to him like a father comforting his daughter. Ziva pulled up to look at Gibbs.

"What happened?" she asked wiping the tears from her face.

"Ziva…there was an accident." Gibbs paused, taking a deep breath. Knowing that he was about to give this woman, his coworker, but more than that his family some of the worst news she would ever receive. The pause was much longer than Ziva wanted, she could hear Abby crying, she almost felt like she was intruding while she listened to McGee try to soothe her.

"He is okay, yes? We will just go to the hospital and he will be out in a few days." Ziva said determined as she tried to rise to her feet.

"Ziva, Tony is…"

"Do not say it Gibbs" Ziva interrupts sharply. "He is not…he will be fine…like always, it is Tony. He is not dead, it is not possible." Ziva yelled trying to fight her way out of Gibbs' hold. Gibbs held on, letting her fight but not letting her go.

"I am so sorry Ziva" Gibbs muttered still holding Ziva tight as she began to calm down.

_She was left holding on to their tomorrow. But as they lay him in the ground, her heart would sing without a sound._

Two days later they sit at a small graveside memorial. Ziva sitting stiff in between Gibbs and Abby. Her body would not show the pain that her heart was feeling. The sun glassing hiding the shimmer of tears in her eyes as Gibbs gave her leg a reassuring squeeze and she hears the preacher begin.

"Anthony DiNozzo is in a better place now…a place with no pain or sorrow. A place where there is true peace. His time here on earth may be up but his life…his life has only just begun."

Ziva silently let the tears fall from down her face. Everyone telling her that it would be okay and that it would get better. That soon it would not hurt so bad.

_For the first time you open your eyes, see the world without your sorrows,_

_No one know the pain you left behind._

_All the peace you could never find, is waiting there to hold and keep you,_

_Welcome to the first day of your life_

_Just open up your eyes._

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"Ziva, wake up" Gibbs said softly causing her to jump awake, she looks around, realizing that she is on her bed. "Ziva you need to eat" when she didn't respond he asked "How long were you out there?"

"I do not know" Ziva said looking down.

"When was the last time you ate?"

"It does not matter Gibbs." Ziva said stronger this time "I am going into work. I will be fine."

"You are not fine Ziva. He is dead, has been for a year. You need to keep yourself healthy, move on. Tony would have wanted that"

"You do not know what he would have wanted." Ziva spat angrily, running out of her house.

She went back to NCIS and worked until the exhaustion took over. Then she would walk to the ever familiar grave and end up falling asleep. Gibbs would go and find her and then take her home. Then the did it again. She completed this cycle about once a week for a couple of months. She finally started to feel a bit better, the pain not quite so bad. She went out with Abby a few times. She had honestly started to feel like herself again.

Then December came.

The second anniversary of his death. She went back to the grave like she had done so many times. The cycle started over again. Just like last time a few months later she started to feel better. This time she even went on a few dates, dates that always ended in her visiting him. She did this for years. She would start to feel better and then December would roll around again. It did get better, it did get easier, but she was never able to completely move on.

It was December. Ten years had passed and Ziva had finally decided that this year would be her final visit. She needed to move on. He would want her too.

She walks through the empty cemetery, her body on autopilot. Unfortunately she knew all too well exactly where she was going. Her strides were short and her pace was slow. She pulled her heavy winter coat around her tighter. A move she has noticed she did frequently on this walk. When she could see the stone in front of her she stopped, took a deep breath and slowly knelt down at the stone.

She laid a single red rose down in the snow as she sat at the grave. She talked to him, telling him about how much she would miss him. Filling him in on everything that had happened that year. She could almost hear him laugh, she could almost see his eyes. As she talked she slowly drifted off to sleep, the cold snow surrounding her as more fell from the sky.

_A single lifetime lays behind her, as she draws her final breath. _

_Just beyond the door he'll find her, taking her hand he softly says_

"_For the first time you open your eyes, see the world without your sorrows,_

_No one know the pain you left behind._

_All the peace you could never find, is waiting there to hold and keep you,_

_Welcome to the first day of your life_

_Just open up your eyes."_

"Tony" Ziva said as she opened her eyes looking into his face for the first time in ten years.

"O Ziva" He said grabbing her and pulling into him tight. "I have missed you so much." Tony said laying them down together. They both fall asleep tight in the others embrace.

_As I lay you down tonight, safe on the other side_

_No more tears to cry._

_For the first time you open your eyes, see the world without your sorrows,_

_No one know the pain you left behind._

_All the peace you could never find, is waiting there to hold and keep you,_

_Welcome to the first day of your life_

_Just open up your eyes._

_Gibbs runs up to the grave_

"_Ziva! Ziva!" he yells, grabbing her into his arms. Looking down at the smile on her face. _

_She was with Tony._

_And this time he was too late._


End file.
